I bought a 20" Massif for my nephew. Because the tires are so fat, it ups the size of the bike so a 20" bike wasn't a good fit until he was 8. But he and his dad on the Dolo I gave him at the same time have been a hit every where they ride.
$1k for the Specialized will sell to some parents who want something unusual for their kids and won't buy "bicycle shaped objects" from wallymart. I sure don't see it being a big seller.